Combination table and auxiliary table support



March 13, 1956 -r. a. FERGUSON 2,738,244

COMBINATION TABLE AND AUXILIARY TABLE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 9, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1 =5 e L L J I 3 n I: I r" I n l' l8 z; z/ /z Z3 z; /6 Z/Z5 6 /8 /5 INVENTOR TBFe ryuson W fw zi March 1956 T. B. FERGUSONCOMBINATION TABLE AND AUXILIARY TABLE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 9, 1955 2SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR 2. 5.1 6 1:7 use 12 %)(I I I ATTORNEYS n; i F

United States Patent COMBINATION TABLE AND AUXILIARY TABLE SUPPORT iThomas B. Ferguson, Downers Grove, It]. Application October 9, 1953,Serial No. 385,246 1 Claim. (Cl. 311-2 This invention relates to a novelcombination table primarily intended for use as a cocktailtableincluding readily demountable portions for forming a plurality ofindividual tables. a

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide acombination type table which is so constructed that the partsconstituting the individual tables are normally supportedinconspicuously by the combination table without detracting from itsappearance or utility.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the combinationtable;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the table;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the table takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure l,with the auxiliary sets of table legs removed;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one of the auxiliary tablesassembled;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view, partly in section thereof, lookingfrom left to right of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view, partly in plan, taken substantially alonga plane as indicated by the line 77 of Figure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the combination table andauxiliary table support in its entirety and comprising the invention isdesignated generally 10 and includes a table-top, designated generally11, and -a set of supporting legs and racks, designated generally 12.

The table-top 11 includes a base 13 which is preferably rectangular andwhich is provided with a marginal rim 14 disposed in surroundingrelationship thereto and rising to above the upper surface thereof. Saidrim 14 comblues with the base member 13 to form a recessed base in whichrecess is disposed the upper portion, designated generally 15, of thetable-top and which fits relatively snug in the recess of the base andrests on the base member 13. The upper table-top portion 15 is composedof a plurality, preferably eight, identical sections each comprising arelatively thick block 16 of any suitable material, the upper surfacesof which blocks 16 form the top surface of the table-top 11. The ends ofthe base member 13 are provided intermediate of the side edges thereof,with notches 17, for a purpose that will hereinafter be come apparent.

The supporting legs and racks 12 include two pairs of legs. The legs 18of each pair of legs are connected by a bracket 19 having asubstantially straight elongated intermediate portion 20 and endportions 21 which project substantially at right angles from theends ofthe intermediate portion 20 and which are secured to and projectoutwardly from corresponding sides of the legs 18 for connecting saidlegs and for positioning the intermediate bracket portion 20 in offsetrelationship to the legs. The legs 18 at their upper ends are providedwith angular ofiset portions 22 which are disposed in planessubstantially at right angles to the axes of the legs 18 and which bearagainst the underside of the tabletop base 13 and are secured thereto byfastenings 23 for supporting the legs 18 in depending positions beneathand perpendicular to the plane of the table-top 11. As seen in Figure 2,the brackets or racks 19 are disposed between the pairs of legs 18.

The blocks forming the table-top section 16 are provided on oppositeside edges thereof with outwardly opening spaced recesses or sockets 24which are located adjacent the corners of said blocks.

The racks 19 vdetachably support a plurality of folded pairs ofauxiliary table legs, each designated generally 25, and each including apair of U-shaped members 26 and 27. The legs 28 of the U-shaped member26 are connected at corresponding ends thereof by an intermediateportion 29 which is disposed substantially at a right angle to each ofthe legs 28, as seen in Figure 6. The legs 28 are provided at theiropposite free ends with inturned terminals 30. The legs 31 of theU-shaped member 27 are likewise integrally connected by an intermediateportion 32 which is disposed at a rightangle thereto and have inturneddistal ends 33. Said legs 31 of the pair of legs 27 are spaced apart adistance less than the spacing between the legs 28 to fit therebetweenand said legs 31 are provided with apertured cars 34, intermediate oftheir ends, through which extend a rod 35. The rod 35 is journaled inthe cars 34 and has end portions which are suitably secured tointermediate portions of the legs 28 for pivotally connecting the pairsof legs 26 and 27 to form the auxiliary set of legs 25. It will bereadily apparent that the set of legs 25 can be folded to position thepairs of legs 26 and 27 substantially coplanar. As seen in Figure 3, aplurality of sets of legs 25 are provided, corresponding in number tothe number of table-top sections or blocks 16 and the folded sets oflegs 25 are normally supported on the rack members 19 inconspicuouslybeneath the table-top 11, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

The table 10 can be used, assembled as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4,for any suitable purpose as for a cocktail table. Where a plurality ofsmall individual tables are desired, the individual table-top sections16 are removed from the recessed base 13, 14 by inserting the fingersupwardly through the notches 17 into engagement with the corners of twoof the blocks 16 for lifting said blocks out of the recessed base and sothat the end blocks may be readily removed from the recessed base 13,14, after which the four remaining table-top sections or blocks 16 canbe readily removed. The sets of legs 25 are then opened and theindividual legs 28 and 31 thereof possess sufficient resiliency so thattheir upper free end portions may be sprung apart sufficiently forpositioning one of the table-top sections or blocks 16 between theinturned extensions 30 and 33 thereof. Said extensions 31} and 33 maythen be directed into engagement with the sockets 24 and will beresiliently retained therein. The table-top sections 16 will thus besupported by the sets of legs 25 and will in turn hold the sets of legsin an open position as seen in Figure 5. The intermediate portions 29and 32 form the bottoms of the pairs of legs and are adapted to rest ona suitable supporting surface. Thus, eight individual tables 36 areprovided by the combination table 10 and which may be used separatelywhen needed. Likeit and may obviously be resorted to, without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by theappended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A combination table and auxiliary table support comprising, a table-topincluding an upwardly opening recessed base portion and a top portionfitting removably in said recessed base portion, said top portioncomprising a plurality of corresponding sections each constituting arelatively thick rectangular block, a leg structure supporting thetable-top and secured to and depending from the underside of the baseportion thereof, said leg structure including two pairs of legs, and abracket member connecting the individual legs of each pair of legs andincluding end portions secured to said legs and an intermediate portionoirset from the plane of said pair of legs in a direction toward theother pair of legs, said intermediate portions of the brackets formingrack members adapted to support auxiliary table legs between said pairsof legs, said blocks each constituting an auxiliary table- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,143,443 SchrammJune 15, 1915 1,881,416 Uhalt Oct. 4, 1932 1,952,568 Schapp et al. Mar.27, 1934 1,976,031 Lowenberg Oct. 9, 1934 2,095,482 Spicciato Oct. 12,1937 2,109,869 Ross Mar. 1, 1938 2,310,904 Bales Feb. 9, 1943 2,449,903Langstaf Sept. 21, 1948 2,503,565 Schmidt Apr. 11, 1950 2,540,849 WalkerFeb. 6, 1951 2,626,843 Shenker Jan. 27, 1953 2,657,965 Bargen Nov. 3,1953 2,666,681 Adler Jan. 19, 1954 2,675,286 Derman Apr. 13, 1954

